Most retail operations require extensive reporting of sales, inventories, taxes, expenses and other information critical in the operation of the business. While some operations still perform these reports manually, most now perform these reports automatically through their Point of Sale equipment. These POS terminals combine the cash register functions with additional functions that record transactions for downloading into computers. This downloading can occur on demand or periodically at defined intervals, usually daily.
The information that is gathered from the POS equipment is downloaded into a computer that is maintained at the site of the operations. This information may then be manipulated into reports for operating the store. For example, the sales figures can be calculated, the inventory levels determined, the employee time sheets examined, taxes to be paid, and many other types of information may be determined. This information is critical to the profitability and operation of most retail stores.
Franchise or multiple store operations often require the transmittal of this information to a central office. This transmittal of information often occurs on a daily basis. Polling software systems are typically utilized to gather the information from the computers in each store and transmit via modem to the central office. These polling systems include commercially available units such as Aloha Enterprise by Aloha; SurePOS by IBM; and others.
These systems all require the utilization of a computer at the store operation to gather information from the electronic cash registers. The information that is retained on the electronic cash register or other Point of Sale equipment is temporarily stored on the equipment, then downloaded to the computer at a periodic interval, usually daily, or on demand. That information may then be manipulated into a report that is either viewed by the local store management or transmitted to the central office.
A number of problems have arisen with the presently available polling systems. One problem is that a computer is required in order to download the information from the electronic cash register. Many operations prefer that a computer not be available at the local operation due to security and other issues. Another problem is that the information that is transmitted to the central office may be in different formats.
Thus there is a need for an enterprise system that will allow remote polling of point of sale terminals that operate in stand alone configurations without an onsite computer.